PARENTS of teenage yobs who regularly cause damage on Edgeside Estate in Waterfoot and intimidate residents could face legal action from Rossendale Borough Council.

Residents in Fairfield Flats have put up with children throwing stones and breaking windows, youths congregating in communal areas and being a nuisance, as well as writing graffiti on walls, firing air rifles at windows and playing football around the flats.

Now the council has sent a letter to all residents on the estate warning them that a action will be taken.

The letter, from the council's neighbourhood officer Julie Smith, says: "Most of these incidents happen around the flats but it is not the residents of the flats that are causing these problems.

"Children are coming from all parts of the estate and congregating around the flats."

The council warns it will take legal action and apply for an Anti-social Behaviour Order against any parent whose children are involved.

The orders carry the threat of a fine or imprisonment.

Security measures for the entrances to communal flats where youths congregate will be looked into and monitoring of the area will continue with action taken against those who are not sticking to their tenancy agreement.

Regular residents' meetings will also be set up to report on action taken by the Council and residents are asked to name the culprits. A father-of-two, who did not want to be identified said: "Teenagers hang around in the middle of the flats and go smoking up the side of the flats. They've ripped my drainpipe off and pushed it through my letterbox, they've smashed the window in my front door and when the police come round they just run off."

"The gas boxes on the front of the flats have been there about seven weeks and they've already been vandalised."

POPs (Problem Orientated Policing) co-ordinator, Sgt Graeme Fearn, said: "The letter is just the first rung on the ladder which points out that if they continue with their bad behaviour upsetting other residents the Council will take action.

"There will always be problems on estates but from a police perspective there are no major problems on Edgeside -- although I am mindful that what I might say is a minor issue could be a major issue for residents and they have every right to contact us and tell us about it."

No one at Rossendale Council would comment on the proposals.